U.S. patent number 7,301,101 [Application Number 11/480,472] was granted by the patent office on 2007-11-27 for flat cable clamp.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Yazaki Corporation. Invention is credited to Kaoru Suzuki.
United States Patent |
7,301,101 |
Suzuki |
November 27, 2007 |
Flat cable clamp
Abstract
To provide a flat cable clamp which can not only prevent
breakage of a hinge but also limit a bending direction of the
hinge, First and second protective protrusions 36, 43 are disposed
in the vicinity of both side edge surface 26, 27 of first and
second thin-walled hinges 14, 15 so as to be opposed to the both
side edge surfaces 26, 27 of the first and second thin-walled
hinges 14, 15, respectively. The first and second hinge protective
protrusions 36, 43 limit bending directions of the first and second
thin-walled hinges 14, 15, on the occasion that first and second
covers 12, 13 engage with a clamp main body 11 so as to clamp down
a flat cable 60 between the first and second covers 12, 13 and the
clamp main body 11.
Inventors: |
Suzuki; Kaoru (Kosai,
JP) |
Assignee: |
Yazaki Corporation (Tokyo,
JP)
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Family
ID: |
37575851 |
Appl.
No.: |
11/480,472 |
Filed: |
July 5, 2006 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20070007029 A1 |
Jan 11, 2007 |
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Foreign Application Priority Data
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Jul 6, 2005 [JP] |
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P2005-197862 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
174/68.1;
174/117F; 174/135; 174/68.3; 174/72A; 24/458; 248/68.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H02G
3/30 (20130101); B60R 16/0215 (20130101); Y10T
24/44026 (20150115) |
Current International
Class: |
H02G
3/04 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;174/68.1,68.3,72A,72R,95-101,117F,117FF,135
;248/49,68.1,71,73,74.1,74.2,74.3 ;24/458,545 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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6-275966 |
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Sep 1994 |
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JP |
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08-119304 |
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May 1996 |
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JP |
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Primary Examiner: Patel; Dhiru R.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Sughrue Mion, PLLC
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A flat cable clamp for fixing a flat cable, comprising: a clamp
main body; a cover, which is operable to be engaged with the clamp
main body; a hinge, formed integrally with the clamp main body and
the cover, so as to couple the clamp main body and the cover; and a
plurality of hinge protective protrusions, formed on at least one
of the clamp main body and the cover so that the hinge is located
between the hinge protective protrusions, and arranged to limit
movement of the hinge to a bending direction of the hinge when the
cover is engaged with the clamp main body so as to clamp down the
flat cable between the cover and the clamp main body.
2. The flat cable clamp according to claim 1, wherein: the flat
cable clamp fixes the flat cable to a body to be mounted; and the
clamp main body includes a locking portion which is operable to be
fitted in and attached to the body to be mounted.
3. The flat cable clamp according to claim 1, wherein the hinge
protective protrusions are respectively disposed in a vicinity of
both side edge surfaces of the hinge so as to be opposed to the
both side edge surfaces of the hinge.
4. A flat cable clamp for fixing a flat cable, comprising: a clamp
main body; a cover, which is operable to be engaged with the clamp
main body; at least two hinges, formed integrally with the clamp
main body and the cover, so as to couple the clamp main body and
the cover; and at least three hinge protective protrusions, wherein
at least one of the three hinge protective protrusions is disposed
between the at least two hinges and arranged to limit movement of
the hinge to a bending direction of the at least two hinges.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a flat cable clamp which is used for
fixing a flat cable having flexibility such as FFC(i.e., Flexible
Flat Cable) and a ribbon electric cable, to a body to be mounted
such as a car body panel.
2. Description of the Related Art
As one of a conventional flat cable clamp, such a thing that a flat
cable is clamped down by 2 pieces of clamp main bodies and the flat
cable is fixed to a printed board, has been known (e.g., see,
JP-A-06-275966 publication).
This flat cable clamp is equipped with 2 pieces of clamp main
bodies where an opening portion and a convex portion are formed.
According to the flat cable clamp, it is configured in such a
manner that the flat cable and the printed board are clamped down
between respective surfaces of 2 pieces of the clamp main bodies
where the opening portions and the convex portions are disposed,
and the flat cable is fixed to the printed board by having a
fastening member passed through a fixing hole.
In this flat cable clamp, a member for clamping down the flat
cable, such as the clamp main body, is formed as a separate body,
and therefore, a clamping work by use of those clamp main bodies is
not only troublesome but also component management man-hour
increases. On that account, it is conceivable that 2 pieces of
clamp main bodies and a thing-walled hinge are formed integrally by
synthetic resin so as to form such a flat cable clamp that the 2
pieces of the clamp main bodies are coupled by the thin-walled
hinge.
In this regard, however, in case that the thin-walled hinge is
simply disposed on the clamp main bodies in a bared situation,
there is such a possibility that the thin-walled hinge contacts an
external body such as an external electric component and is cut off
at the time of using the flat cable clamp. In addition, the
thin-walled hinge is easily twisted, and its bending direction is
not constant, and therefore, even if the flat cable clamp is
equipped with the thin-walled hinge, a complicated clamping work by
use of the clamp main bodies is not improved. Therefore, there is a
room for improvement.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is made in view of the above-described
situation, and its objective is to provide a flat cable clamp which
can not only prevent breakage of a hinge but also limit a bending
direction of the hinge.
[Means for Solving the Problem]
In order to accomplish the above-mentioned objective, a flat cable
clamp of the present invention is a flat cable clamp for fixing a
flat cable to a body to be mounted, and has,
a clamp main body having a locking portion which can be fitted in
and attached to the body to be mounted,
a cover which can be engaged with the clamp main body,
a hinge having flexibility, which is formed integrally with the
clamp main body and the cover, so as to couple the claim main body
and the cover in such a manner that they can be freely swung
relatively, and
a plurality of hinge protective protrusions which are formed on at
least one of the claim main body and the cover, and
is characterized in that
the hinge protective protrusions are disposed in the vicinity of
both side edge surfaces of the hinge so as to be opposed to the
both side edge surfaces of the hinge, the hinge being located
between the hinge protective protrusions, and
the hinge protective protrusions limit a bending direction of the
hinge, on the occasion that the cover engages with the clamp main
body so as to clamp down the flat cable between the cover and the
clamp main body.
In the flat cable clamp with the above-described configuration,
since the hinge protective protrusions are disposed on the both
sides of the hinge, it is possible to prevent occurrence of such a
matter that the hinge contacts directly to an external body such as
an external electric component and is cut off at the time of using
the flat cable clamp. In addition, in the flat cable clamp with the
above-described configuration, the hinge protective protrusions
limits a bending direction of the hinge, i.e., function so as to
allow the hinge to move only in a bending direction of the hinge
which is necessary for a relative turning operation (in other
words, a swinging operation) of the clamp main body and the cover
for the purpose of smooth engagement of the clamp main body and the
cover. Thus, according to the flat cable clamp with the
above-described configuration, workability relating to engagement
of the clamp main body and the cover, i.e., workability relating to
clamping of the flat cable through the use of the clamp main body
and the cover, is improved.
According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a
flat cable clamp which can not only prevent breakage of a hinge but
also limit a bending direction of the hinge.
As above, the present invention was explained in a concise manner.
Further, details of the present invention will be further clarified
by reading through the best mode for carrying out the invention
which will be explained below, with reference to accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an external appearance perspective view which shows one
embodiment of a flat cable clamp that relates to the present
invention, in such a situation that its clamp main body and covers
are expanded.
FIG. 2 is an external appearance perspective view which shows such
a situation that a flat cable is clamped down by the flat cable
clamp of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3(a) is a schematic side view which shows such a situation
that one of two covers of the flat cable clamp of FIG. 2 engages
with a clamp main body, and FIG. 3(b) is a plan view of FIG.
3(a).
FIG. 4 is an external appearance perspective view which shows a
reference example of a flat cable clamp, in such a situation that
its clamp main body and covers are expanded.
FIG. 5 is an external appearance perspective view which shows such
a situation that a flat cable is clamped down by the reference
example of the flat cable clamp of FIG. 4.
FIG. 6(a) is a schematic side view which shows such a situation
that one of 2 covers of the reference example of the flat cable
clamp of FIG. 5 engages with a clamp main body, and FIG. 6(b) is a
plan view of FIG. 6(a).
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment, which relates to the present
invention, will be explained in detail on the basis of
drawings.
FIG. 1 is an external appearance perspective view which shows one
embodiment of a flat cable clamp that relates to the present
invention, in such a situation that its clamp main body and a cover
are expanded. FIG. 2 is an external appearance perspective view
which shows such a situation that a flat cable is clamped down by
the flat cable clamp of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3(a) is a schematic side
view which shows such a situation that one of two covers of the
flat cable clamp of FIG. 2 engages with a clamp main body, and FIG.
3(b) is a plan view of FIG. 3(a).
As shown in FIGS. 1 through 3(b), a flat cable clamp 10, which is
one embodiment of the present invention, is a flat cable clamp for
fixing a flat cable 60 having 4 pieces of electric wire portions 61
(see, FIGS. 2 through 3(b).), along a body to be mounted such as a
car body panel 80 (see, FIG. 1.).
This flat cable clamp 10 is equipped with a clamp main body 11
having a locking portion 44 which can be fitted in and attached to
a car body panel 80, first and second covers 12, 13 which can be
engaged with the clamp main body 11, first and second thin-walled
hinges 14, 15 having flexibility which are formed integrally with
the clamp main body 11 and the first, second covers 12, 13 so as to
couple the clamp main body 11 and the first, second covers 12, 13
in such a manner that they can be freely swung relatively (see,
FIGS. 1, 3(a) and 3(b).), and first and second protective
protrusions 36, 43 formed on the first and second covers 12,
13.
As shown in FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b), the first and second protective
protrusions 36, 43 are disposed in the vicinity of both side edge
surfaces 26, 27, respectively so as to be opposed to the both side
edge surfaces 26, 27 of the first and second thin-walled hinges 14,
15, through the first and second thin-walled hinges 14, 15,
respectively. Meanwhile, it is all right if the first and second
hinge protective protrusions 36, 43 are formed on at least one of
the clamp main body 11 and the first, second covers 12, 13, and for
example, it is all right even if it is formed only on the clamp
main body 11.
The first and second hinge protective protrusions 36, 43 limit
bending directions of the first and second thin-walled hinges 14,
15, on the occasion that the first and second covers 12, 13 engage
with the clamp main body 11 so as to clamp down the flat cable 60
between the covers and the clamp main body 11, respectively.
Details of the flat cable clamp 10 configured in this manner will
be explained below.
The above-mentioned clamp main body 11, first and second
thin-walled hinges 14, 15, first and second covers 12, 13 and first
and second hinge protective protrusions 36, 43 are formed
integrally by using synthetic resin as a material, and by this
means, the flat cable clamp 10 is formed.
The clamp main body 11 is formed to be of a T-letter shape and be
relatively thin, and has a long first plate portion 16 and a short
second plate portion 17 which is connected to a center part of the
first plate portion 16.
As to the first plate portion 16, its one end portion is formed in
the shape of a nearly C-letter viewed from a cross-section surface,
and it has a first fixing surface 18 as a bottom surface, and the
other end portion is also formed in the shape of a nearly C-letter
viewed from a cross-section surface, and it has a second fixing
surface 19 as a bottom surface. The first and second fixing
surfaces 18, 19 have pairs of guide plates 20, 21, 22, 23 which are
protruded in a vertical direction from both end portions of them.
An interval dimension of the guide plates 20, 21 which are extended
in parallel to each other, and an interval dimension of the guide
plates 22, 23 which are extended in parallel to each other, are
slightly larger than a width dimension of the flat cable 60,
respectively. A locking protrusion 24, which is used for locking
the first cover, is formed on a lateral surface of the guide plate
20 on the side of the second plate portion 17 so as to be protruded
therefrom, and a locking protrusion 25, which is used for locking
the second cover, is formed on a lateral surface of the guide plate
22 on the side of the second plate portion 17 so as to be protruded
therefrom.
4 pieces of positioning protrusions 28, 28, 28, 28 are formed on
the fist fixing surface 18 so as to be protruded therefrom. These
positioning protrusions 28, 28, 28, 28 are disposed so as to be in
tune with positions of slit-shaped positioning cutouts (not shown
in the figure) of a bridge portion 62 formed integrally so as to
couple electric wire portions 61 of the flat cable 60 at
intervals.
1 piece of a positioning protrusion 29 is formed on the second
fixing surface 19 so as to be protruded therefrom. The positioning
protrusion 29 is disposed so as to be in tune with a position of a
slit-shaped positioning cutout (not shown in the figure) of a
bridge portion 62 of the flat cable 60.
The first cover 12 has a rectangular first pressing surface 30 as a
bottom surface, and has a pair of guide plates 31, 32 which are
protruded in a vertical direction from its both end portions, and
is formed in the form of a nearly C-letter viewed from a
cross-section surface. An interval dimension of the guide plates
31, 32, which are protruded in parallel to each other, is slightly
larger than an interval dimension of the guide plates 20, 21.
2 pieces of first thin-walled hinges 14 are formed integrally in
parallel to each other, between a lateral surface of a base end
portion (i.e., a root portion) of the guide plate 32 and a lateral
surface of a base end portion (i.e., a root portion ) of the guide
plate 21. Meanwhile, an engagement hole 33, which engages with a
locking protrusion 24 formed on a lateral surface of the guide
plate 20, is formed in the guide plate 31.
4 pieces of protrusion holding portions 34, 34, 34, 34 are formed
on the first pressing surface 30 so as to pass through it. The 4
pieces of protrusion holding portions 34, 34, 34, 34 engage with
the positioning protrusions 28, 28, 28, 28 on the first fixing
surface 18, respectively, on the occasion that the first cover 12
is overlaid on the clamp main body 11. In addition, 3 pieces of
electric wire holding-down protrusions 35 are formed on one end
portion of the fist pressing surface 30, which is extended in an
orthogonal direction to the pair of guide plates 31, 32,
corresponding to the number of bridge portions 62 of the flat cable
60.
3 pieces of hinge protective protrusions 36, 36, 36 are formed on a
lateral surface of the guide plate 32 of the first cover 12, as
shown in FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b).
The second cover 13 is of a configuration which is nearly similar
to that of the first cover 12, and has a rectangular second
pressing surface 37 as a bottom surface, and has a pair of guide
plates 38, 39 which are protruded in a vertical direction from its
both end portions, and is formed in the shape of a nearly C-letter
viewed from a cross-section surface. An interval dimension of the
guide plates 38, 39 which are extended in parallel to each other is
slightly larger than an interval dimension of the guide plates 22,
23.
2 pieces of second thin-walled hinges 15 are formed integrally in
parallel to each other, between a lateral surface of a base end
portion (i.e., a root portion) of the guide plate 39 and a lateral
surface of a base end portion (i.e., a root portion ) of the guide
plate 23. Meanwhile, an engagement hole 40, which engages with a
locking protrusion 25 formed on a lateral surface of the guide
plate 22, is formed in the guide plate 38.
1 piece of a protrusion holding portion 41 is formed on the second
pressing surface 37 so as to pass through it. The protrusion
holding portion 41 engages with engage with the positioning
protrusion 29 on the second fixing surface 19, on the occasion that
the second cover 13 is overlaid on the clamp main body 11. In
addition, 3 pieces of electric wire holding-down protrusions 42 are
formed on one end portion of the second pressing surface 37, which
is extended in an orthogonal direction to the pair of guide plates
38, 39, corresponding to the number of bridge portions 62 of the
flat cable 60.
3 pieces of hinge protective protrusions 43, 43, 43 are formed on a
lateral surface of the guide plate 39 of the second cover 13, as
shown in FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b).
A locking portion 44, which is formed on a lower surface of the
second plate portion 17 of the clamp main body 11, engages with a
clamp hole (not shown in the figure) formed on the car body panel
80.
The flat cable is an electric wire generally called as FFC, in
which 4 pieces of electric wire portions 61 are coupled by the
bridge portion 62, but it may be a ribbon wire etc., other than
FFC. As described above, the slit-shaped positioning cutout (not
shown in the figure) is formed in the bridge portion 62. Meanwhile,
the number of the electric wire portions 61 is selected according
to the number of circuits to be applied, etc.
As shown in FIG. 2, the flat cable clamp 10 is overlaid on the
clamp main body 11 after the flat cable 60 is placed on the first
and second fixing surface 18, 19 of the fist plate portion 16, and
the first and second covers 12, 13 are turned through the first and
second thin-walled hinges 14, 15 so as to clamp down the flat cable
60 by the fist and second fixing surfaces 18, 19 and the fist and
second pressing surface 30, 37.
At this time, the engagement hole 33 of the first cover 12 is
engaged with the locking protrusion 24 of the guide plate 20, and
then, the engagement hole 40 of the second cover 13 is engaged with
the locking protrusion 25 of the guide plate 22. In addition, at
this time, the positioning protrusions 28, 29 pass through the
positioning cutouts (not shown in the figure) of the bridge portion
62 of the flat cable 60, and thereafter, are inserted into the
protrusion holding portions 34, 41, and by this means, the flat
cable 60 is positioned in its longitudinal direction, and its width
direction (lined-up direction of the electric wire portions
61).
Furthermore, at this time, 3 pieces of the electric wire
holding-down protrusions 35 of the fist cover 12 press the bridge
portion 62 of the flat cable 60, and hold down the flat cable 60 to
the fist fixing surface 18 of the clamp main body 11, and then, 6
pieces of the electric wire holding-down protrusions 42 of the
second cover 13 press the bridge portion 62 of the flat cable 60
and hold down the flat cable 60 to the second fixing surface 19 of
the clamp main body 11, and by this means, the flat cable 60 is
positioned in the flat cable clamp 10, in its thickness direction,
and fixed to the flat cable clamp 10.
Then, the locking portion 44 of the flat cable clamp 10 is fit in
and attached to a clamp hole (not shown in the figure) of the car
body panel 80, and thereby, the flat cable 60 is fixed to the car
body panel 80.
According to this flat cable clamp 10, the first and second hinge
protective protrusions 36, 43 are disposed on both sides of the
first and second thin-walled hinges 14, 15, respectively, and
therefore, it is possible to prevent occurrence of such a matter
that the first and second hinges 14, 15 contact directly to an
external body such as an external electric component and are cut
off at the time of using the flat cable clamp 10.
In addition, in the flat cable clamp 10, the first and second
protective protrusions 36, 43 limit bending directions of the first
and second thin-walled hinges 14, 15, i.e., function so as to allow
the first and second thin-walled hinges 14, 15 to move only in
bending directions of the first and second thin-walled hinges 14,
15 which are necessary for a relative turning operation (in other
words, a swinging operation) of the clamp main body 11 and the
first and second covers 12, 13 for the purpose of smooth engagement
of the clamp main body 11 and the first and second covers 12,
13.
Therefore, according to the flat cable clamp 10, workability
relating to engagement of the clamp main body 11 and the first and
second covers 12, 13, i.e., workability relating to clamping of the
flat cable 60 through the use of the clamp main body 11 and the
first and second covers 12, 13/
Now, at this moment, in order to explain further superiority of the
present invention, a reference example is shown in FIGS. 4 through
6(b). FIG. 4 is an external appearance perspective view which shows
the reference example of a flat cable clamp in such a situation
that its clamp main body and cover are expanded, and FIG. 5 is an
external appearance perspective view which shows such a situation
that a flat cable is clamped down by the reference example of the
flat cable clamp of FIG. 4, and FIG. 6(a) is a schematic side view
which shows such a situation that one of two covers in the
reference example of the flat cable clamp of FIG. 5 engages with
the clamp main body, and then, FIG. 6(b) is a plan view of FIG.
6(a).
As shown in FIG. 4, in a flat cable clamp 100, 2 pieces of covers
103, 103 are coupled through 2 pieces of thin-walled hinges 102,
102 to a clamp main body 101.
As shown in FIG. 5, in the flat cable clamp 100, the flat cable 60
is placed on the clamp main body 101, and thereafter, 2 pieces of
the covers 103, 103 are fit up to the clamp main body 101.
However, in the suchlike flat cable clamp 100, thin-walled hinges
102, 102 are simply disposed on the clamp main body 101 in a bared
situation, as apparent from FIGS. 6(a) and 6(b), and therefore,
there is such a possibility that the thin-walled hinges 102, 102
contact to an external body such as an external electric component
and are cut off at the time of using the flat cable clamp 100. In
addition, the thin-walled hinges 102, 102 are twisted easily, and
its bending direction is not constant, and therefore, even if it is
equipped with the thin-walled hinges 102,102 as shown in this
reference example, a complicated clamping work by use of the clamp
main body 101 is not improved.
In contrast to this, the flat cable clamp 10 of the present
invention as shown in FIGS. 1 through 3(b) can not only prevent
breakage of the first and second thin-walled hinges 14, 15 but also
limit bending directions of the first and second thin-walled hinges
14, 15, as described above.
Meanwhile, the present invention is not limited to the
above-described embodiments, but modification, improvement etc. are
possible arbitrarily. In addition to that, material quality, shape,
dimension, numerical value, configuration, number, location place,
etc. of each constituent element are arbitrary and not limited, if
they are things which can accomplish the present invention.
For example, it is all right if the number of covers is at least 1
piece. In addition, for example, it is all right if the number of
thin-walled hinges is at least 1 piece for 1 cover. Thus, it is all
right if the number of hinge protective protrusions is at least 2
pieces for 1 thin-walled hinge.
* * * * *